Burning Man will be rebuilt; arrest made

Aug. 28, 2007

The Man burns early Tuesday morning at Burning Man near Gerlach. Paul Addis, 35, of San Francisco, was booked into the Pershing County jail on suspicion of arson and illegal possession of fireworks, according to the sheriff’s department. / Carla Roccapriore/RGJ

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Paul Addis, 35, of San Francisco, was booked into the Pershing County jail on suspicion of arson and illegal possession of fireworks, according to the sheriff’s department. / Pershing County Sheriff's Office

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An arson investigation is underway and one person is in custody on suspicion of setting a fire to the Burning Man early Tuesday at the counterculture arts festival in Black rock desert, event staff said today.

Paul Addis, 35, of San Francisco, was booked into the Pershing County jail on suspicion of arson and illegal possession of fireworks, according to the sheriff’s department.

Burning Man officials said the 40-foot man will be rebuilt.

“We have the means and the will,” said Andie Grace, Burning Man communications manager. “The event continues on scheduled and the man will burn on Saturday night.”

Burning Man is expected to attract more than 40,000 people this year with the event climaxing when the effigy burns Saturday.

The unplanned fire was reported at 2:58 a.m. and attracted thousands of burners who watched in awe and speculated about how it happened.

Crews that came from three separate stations on the playa put out the fire in 23 minutes as staff worked to keep spectators behind a perimeter.

Burners yelled things such as “save the man” and cheered as fire crews began spraying it with hoses. No injuries were reported and there was no confirmed cause of the ignition.

The man’s structure was salvaged but singed but Grace said officials are rebuilding the man because the structure might be at risk of falling.

The art in the pavilion underneath the man wasn’t damaged, Grace said.

Burners said the stunt pulled by the suspect was unwelcome.

“It’s a sign of no tact,” said Jennifer Brucker, 31, of Napa, Calif. “A lot of people are probably really disgusted about it.”

Michael Murphy, a lawyer from Napa, said it’s sad that someone would commit such an act.

“Nowadays people seem to want to use terrorist acts for political reasons rather than by debating, taking or reasoning,” said Murphy, 56.

The man last required rebuilding in 1990 when it was accidentally cut up with a chain saw while in storage prior to the event, Grace said.